French Ligue 1: Lille held 1-1 at Strasbourg

Lille again dropped points in the race for second place and automatic qualification for the Champions League after it was held to a second successive draw in Ligue 1 on Friday.

Lille would have set a club record sixth straight away win during a season but it could only draw 1-1 at Strasbourg.

Christophe Galtier’s side remained second but third-place Lyon can cut the gap to two points with a win at Monaco on Sunday.

Runaway leader Paris Saint-Germain is 14 points ahead of Lille, having played two matches less.

Jonathan Ikone fired Lille in front three minutes before the break but Anthony Goncalves leveled in the 68th.

Strasbourg, which is without a win this month, moved eighth.

LOSING STREAK

Saint-Etienne kept up the pressure on Lille and Lyon with a narrow 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Dijon.

Neven Subotic volleyed in a corner in the 64th as Saint-Etienne moved fourth, three points behind Lyon.

Mario Balotelli’s Marseille is only three points behind, however, and visits Rennes on Sunday.

It was Dijon’s fourth successive league defeat and seventh in its past nine matches. It remained in the relegation zone, one point from safety.